The national weather map for Tuesday morning, Nov. 25, 2025, shows a large rain storm in the eastern US and snow along the northern tier. A separate storm is also moving into the Pacific Northwest.
Macy’s unveiled new inflatable balloons for the 2026 Thanksgiving Day Parade including Derpy and Sussie from the year’s hit film “KPop Demon Hunters”.

A cross-country storm could lead to travel havoc for millions of Thanksgiving travelers this week, forecasters said.

The storm will bring rain, snow and flight delays across multiple regions, according to AccuWeather. Separate storms will also plague the northern tier and the Pacific Northwest.

A record-setting 82 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home during the Thanksgiving holiday period this year, according to the American Automobile Association.

Southern rain, tornadoes

On Monday Nov. 24, rain is expected from Texas and Louisiana to the upper Mississippi Valley, Weather.com meteorologist Sara Tonks said in an online forecast.

"Flooding rain and a few severe thunderstorms are possible from Texas to Arkansas, northern and western Louisiana into Mississippi," said Tonks. "Watch for flooded roads and leave extra time to get to your destination. This may lead to thunderstorm-related flight delays at Dallas-Ft. Worth and eventually, Houston."

The Storm Prediction Center said "damaging winds and a few tornadoes will be possible."

Northern snow

While rain plagues the southern states, a separate storm will target the nation's northern tier with heavy snow: Beginning Monday afternoon Nov. 24 and continuing through Wednesday Nov. 26, AccuWeather meteorologists are forecasting significant snow over a swath of North Dakota, Minnesota and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, with lighter accumulations farther south and west.

"Such conditions can make travel very slow or even dangerous for a time," said AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Duffus.

"Persons should consider delaying all travel," the National Weather Service in Grand Forks, North Dakota, warned. "If travel is absolutely necessary, drive with extreme caution. Consider taking a winter storm kit along with you, including such items as tire chains, booster cables, flashlight, shovel, blankets and extra clothing. Also take water, a first aid kit, and anything else that would help you survive in case you become stranded."

Tuesday Nov. 25: Storm heads toward the east

Rain is expected to spread from the Midwest and Southeast early to the East Coast by the end of the day, said Tonks.

As the storm moves toward the central United States Tuesday, major airports in Chicago, Nashville, St. Louis, Houston and Minneapolis could see delays, according to AccuWeather forecasters.

"Isolated severe storms are possible across the Deep South into the Tennessee Valley on Tuesday and Tuesday night (Nov. 25)," the Storm Prediction Center said.

Northwest storm

Also Tuesday Nov. 25, yet another storm system may bring rain and mountain snow to Washington and Oregon, then into northern Idaho and far western Montana late, Tonks predicted.

“The Pacific Northwest could face some of the most severe impacts from the weather in the days leading up to Thanksgiving,” said AccuWeather meteorologist Reneé Duff. The result will be slowed travel and the potential for flooded roads.

Wednesday Nov. 26 travel

For the peak travel day, Wednesday, Nov. 26, showers may flare up ahead of a cold front in at least parts of the East that could lead to some flight delays out of the major Northeast hubs, according to Weather.com.

Heavy lake-effect snow and strong winds will spread from the western Great Lakes snowbelts (northern and western Michigan, northern Wisconsin) Wednesday into the eastern lake snowbelts (northeast Ohio, northwest Pennsylvania, southwest New York, upstate New York) overnight Wednesday night. Expect dangerous travel in these areas, Tonks said.

Also by midweek, colder air is forecast to surge southward from the Canadian Prairies, triggering accumulating snow across parts of the northwestern Rockies, according to Duffus. "Locations in Montana, Wyoming and Colorado may experience snow combined with gusty winds that affect travel."

Thanksgiving Day weather

For the holiday, lake-effect snow is likely to develop downwind of the Great Lakes. “Those traveling on Thanksgiving Day around the Great Lakes region may have to contend with typical lake-effect snow showers, which can result in reduced visibility and slippery travel,” added Duff.

For the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City, expect clear skies, gusty winds, and temperatures in the 40s, the National Weather Service in New York City said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: From snow to tornadoes: Here's your Thanksgiving week travel weather forecast

Reporting by Doyle Rice, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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